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THE SALTY BRIAR
About Me:
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Cornell & Diehl - Folklore 16oz
The Crown Prince of Tobacco
One of the best Virginias I've ever smoked. Complex, meaty... leaves me wanting another bowl. All time favorite Virginia. Above 5 stars.
Cutters & Accessories - Craftsman's Bench Double Blade Cigar Cutter
great product
Does a perfect job
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Obsidian Pipe Stem Oil 18ml
Works like a champ
Great stuff! Keeps my stem shine and new.
Filters & Adaptors - Blitz 9mm Filters (40 pack)
Excellent
Best 9mm filter in the world. Well tied with Big Ben filters. But good luck finding Big Ben. These are just as good. possibly the same with different branding.
Tampers & Tools - Neerup Leather Pipe Cleaning Kit
Must Have
Anyone with a Briar, this is a must have. Top notch. I absolutely love my kit. Use it weekly.
Filters & Adaptors - Brigham Rock Maple Inserts (8 Pack)
They work great!
Great product, been buying them for years.
Missouri Meerschaum - Morgan Natural
LOVE IT!!!
Huge fan of this legendary pipe. Out of all my pipes on display (inside a wall mounded glass frame with magnetic saddles made by Neil Yarm) Everyone that comes into my house absolutely goes straight to the corn cob pipes. Which I find amusing considering they are the least expensive. These pipes will always find a special place in my heart. As American as apple pie and baseball. My wife says I look like Frosty the Snowman when I smoke out of it. One of my favorite pastimes is some Stokkebye in a 6mm cobber. Absolute perfection. These pipes are not high quality briars, they're meant to be disposable so please stop grading it among it's high end briar cousins. Not a fair comparison.
Missouri Meerschaum - Cornell & Diehl Charles Towne Cobbler
Best Corn Cob Pipe Available!
Want to own a piece of history, something that doesn't require breaking in and smokes great from the first bowl? Corn Cob is it. Missouri Meerschaum, in my opinion makes the best Corn Cob Pipes in the world. They have been used since the 1800's and by many famous people such as Mark Twain to General MacArthur. No they won't last like a briar will, you can get many years out of them if you know how to smoke them properly, but they're not designed to last generations. They work and work well. I'm a huge fan of this brand and this pipe. I have a few in my collection and on display as they are historic art still made today. I love mine and I'm always looking to score a special edition every chance I get.
Peter Stokkebye - PS24 Nougat
Peter Stokkebye blends are better than Esoterica. Period.
First off, I'm going to say what many of us already know. Peter Stokkebye produces the best tobaccos in the world. I challenge anyone to put the Esoterica's, Frog Morton's of their respective families to a back to back comparison (Shane Ireland this would be a legendary review for literally all of us who want to see these legends go toe to toe by an expert reviewer) So, smoking Pipes if you're reading this, make it happen. I have some I will send you if you do it. I've done it and I was blown away by the Stokkebye blends to their respective classes. Frog is dead, Esoterica is unattainable and the other legends are unrealistically priced on second hand markets for perpetually sold out. My review is exactly this, the quality of Stokkebye is up there with the best if not better. The smoothness and flavor is perfection. Not too sweet, not too harsh, but just right. I think saying one is better than the other is subjective, but the Stokkebye blends are as good. I find Esoterica to slightly miss the mark as they are a little too sweet or just mildly missing the mark of what I'm expecting. A lot of hype for a decent tobacco. When there are dozens out there that are as good or better. Overall, straight out of the tin, Stokkebye is a 6 star. I'm speaking of all their blends. They are readily available for purchase, they're sold everywhere and they don't price gouge for their product. (Seattle Pipe Club, I'm talking about you). I know I'm going to really make some people mad on here, for different reasons. (1) reviews are based on individual opinions which are subjective and bias. I'm merely speaking from my own personal experience. (2) Many of us who are: "in the know," will religiously and purposefully not leave reviews. As many of the experienced veterans on here tend to keep quiet and be secretive on the white whales of the tobacco world. So they can buy it without anyone getting wise. This is selfish and I did it for years. Mainly because we don't want all the hipsters and wannabes buying up all the good stuff. For about 10 years, I was among these distinguished gentlemen. I was repulsed when someone would leave amazing reviews on my favorite tobacco's. Knowing they would be hoarded up by the undeserving. To that point, out of respect for the other affection ado's and veterans looking to score a tin. I will never buy more than two tins per day. Everyone deserves to have have a tin. The problem with this is that the majority of these companies need to know what's popular because it promotes innovation and new white whales to come.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Blitz Pipe Cleaners (80 pack)
My favorite.
These are my go-to. The Swiss really do make the best stuff. I am a very particular person, these are the best I've come across.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Peterson Churchwarden Pipe Cleaners (50 Pack)
Quality.
These are great churchwarden pipe cleaners, they don't leave particles as many cheap pipe cleaners do. Nothing worse than inhaling cotton fluff from a cheap cleaner. I would recommend and definitely stick with this brand from here out.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Peterson Churchwarden Pipe Cleaners (50 Pack)
Quality.
These are great churchwarden pipe cleaners, they don't leave particles as many cheap pipe cleaners do. Nothing worse than inhaling cotton fluff from a cheap cleaner. I would recommend and definitely stick with this bran from here out.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Neerup Long Brush 2/Bag
Truly the best!
These are the best money can buy. Been through a lot of gimmicks. Neerup genuinely has products that will last a lifetime. These brushes do the job, great for longer stems when you want a deep clean.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Neerup Deluxe Cleaning Kit
First Class!!!
Quality European craftsmanship, heavy duty brushes, thick, well made mat. Everything it comes with is top notch. This is really a must have if you're a dedicated pipe enthusiast.
Sutliff - Z92 Vanilla Custard
Beautiful Aromatic
I’ll just get to the point. This has the best tin note of any vanilla aromatic out there. Speaking from trying everything offered on here, CUJ, Boswell and Country Squire. Tried it as soon as it arrived. Little bit damp. But it needs to be to retain the flavor. Let a bowl sit out for about an hour. Burns flawlessly. Smells amazing. Tastes exactly as you’d expect it to. Rates all five stars. If you like vanilla, cream and aromatics. This should be your primary. I’m going to jar the rest and let it age a little, I think it will bring out a lot more flavor. We shall see.
Peter Heinrichs - Blend #169 100g
Wow
This is a top shelf English. I really got lucky getting a tin of this. It's fantastic.
F & K - Black Bayou Mist
Dirty Diapers On a Campfire
Okay, fellas... we need to have a come to Jesus moment here. This tobacco, is the sole reason why estate pipes exist. For sociopaths that stuff this evil into a perfectly innocent pipe and can't forgive themselves. You may like the flavor of this, if you enjoy meow mix on licorice sherbert ice cream with a side of hot dog water then you'll love it. This has to be the nastiest, most disgusting blended abomination to ever be offered into the tobacco world. Quite honestly, I truly feel terrible for the Smoking Pipes, staff members who are subjected to handling and shipping this turd of a blend. I'm surprised the post office doesn't flag it due to the odor. They deserve a hug or a cuddle or at least an air freshener inside their respirators. It smells like a toe nail fungus built a campfire out of rotten wood on top of a litter box, inside a Taco Bell bathroom. Best smoke ever huh!? I guess... if you enjoy smoking a wet, blue, swisher sweet out of a burned port-a-john. So that's how I really feel, I suppose I could have just said it wasn't good and thrown it away. But that wouldn't do anyone justice. It needed to be buried at the bottom of a gravel pit as to not contaminate a trash dump. I'd rather suck a fart out of a dead hippo than attempt this disaster again.
Low Country - Atalaya 2oz
The new white whale of the tobacco world!!!
Finished my first two tins. I can see why they named it Atalaya, meaning "watch tower," in Spanish... which is fitting. This blend does have a very traditional, antique South Carolina spirit, which I absolutely love. It smokes like an unexpected and delightfully welcomed old friend. This blend is truly exquisite and one for the record books. This is one of those blends that will be talked about by collectors and probably resold years from now for ridiculous second hand prices. I didn't give it five stars, only because I reserve that ranking for the truly rare and perfect blends. Which as far as complex Virgina's go, this is definitely up there with the better of the them. I'm just not at 5 stars... yet. Aging may be a whole different story. Actually, in fact I think throwing this in the cellar for a few years would easily make this a five star. Even launch it into a legendary status. My overall opinion; it's got a very earthy tin note, it's pleasant, the balance of aged Virginias, orientals and St. James Parish Perique are exactly right and I mean to the exact pinch. This is a very high quality smoke. During the sorting of the tin, I found nothing to throw out. You can tell by the quality of the leaves in this blend, it must have been a labor of love for Jeremy Reeves. I'm sure he's very proud of this blend. I have no doubt it will sell out within the first week. It's obvious, someone spent a lot of time, perfecting the smallest details and choosing the highest quality leaves. This recipe is addiction worthy. The tin notes; not a lot of swampiness to it, there's more of an earthiness, grain and cornmeal there. You can smell the spices, which are noticeably strong but not overpowering. The initial take away is that it's light and smooth with a touch of spice. Until the aftertaste hits you which seemed stronger than the inhale and the spices seem to get stronger the farther down the bowl you get. There's strong notes of different citruses, florals, a slight bit of sweetness but it's light and welcoming. All blended together, it makes a very complex, meaty and delicious all day smoke. It's one of the more interesting and contemplative smoking experiences. If you enjoy orientals, complex Virginias and appreciate the St. James Parish Perique. You are going to love it!
Cornell & Diehl - Jolly Old Saint Nicholas 2oz
Finally a decent Holiday blend
It nailed the Christmas blend this year. Last year tasted like a tri-county mall, rent-a-Santa's hot, sweaty, crusty, week old, used boot sock that sat in his 1993 Dodge caravan all summer, marinated with diseased reindeer urine and just a dash of Norwegian Elf inner thigh cheese. I think this year's blend is actually better than anything else currently available. If you're into to Christmas blends, which I am, this stuff is 100% a winner. So, for me it's a winner! Great tin note, great flavor, easy to smoke, easy to enjoy, lots of hints of pumpkin spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and a sweet and fulfilling body. I'd rate it over McLelland Holiday Spirit. Yes, it's that good, and easily better.
Warped - Scarecrow 2oz
Decent Fall Smoke
So, the tin note leaves a lot to be desired. Smells kinda like an alcoholic step dad; beer farted into a store bought pumpkin pie. If you can get over that and all the hype, it's about average at best. You've got a lot of panic buyers making this seem like it's better than it is. What it does have going for it; it's got a fairly decent fall spice that is picked up during the retrohale. Not overpowering, but you know it's there and not budging. It's a bit strong in certain areas and a little faint in others. It's one of those blends that you either love it or hate it. I'm a fan, but I feel like its just missing a major ingredient but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Robert Lewis - Tree Mixture 50g
#1 Best English Ever Made. Period.
The tin note has some very apparent spice, leather, butter and earthy notes. It's interesting. If you sip it, it's as smooth as silk and does burn to a white ash, like many of the white whales both extinct and rarely seen. Very hard to compare to similar blends. Fellas, I think this is truly in a league of its own. This is my first time smoking a foreign English blend. Luckily I stock piled enough Frog Morton: "On The Town," to last me about 12 years. I'm currently down to my last unopened can. Ergo, I decided to give this a try, as I'm running on fumes. I'm not as experienced as some of you, I've only been smoking pipes since 2011, so... not a lot of experience compared to the majority of the connoisseurs on here. The first tin of English I ever tired, was Frog Morton, On The Town and I stuck with it without really giving anything else the old college try. I suppose, it kind of spoiled me for anything else. Not to support the; "me too," pipe tobacco movement, but I found the Esoterica blends to be exceptional as well. John Cotton, is another I enjoy. Unfortunately and shamefully, I have ordered from other companies, but I've found Smoking Pipes/ Smoking Pipes Europe to be the best resource to find pipes and tobaccos. Honestly, SP's customer support and staff is 1st class and every other major corporation can take a few pages out of their play book. (Yes I'm talking about you COJ's) For those of you who are unaware of SP's European Sister Company. Definitely check them out if your looking for the good stuff. I've noticed a lot of reviews from fellow "Smoking Pipes," colleagues, that a lot of you tend to poorly rate the tobacco only due to the fact they sell out before you can order any? Or because the brand has "Tongue Bite." First, and by no means do I intend to insult anyone, but, the Bite people are referring to has about 20% to do with the quality of the tobacco, 10% the quality of the pipe and about 70% of the moisture level and rate in which you're burning through a bowl. There are so many good blends that get poor reviews on here that its nauseating. If your really that sensitive to bite, just go the European route and get every pipe in a 9mm filter which, I hate to say it, because it's like adding water to Pappy 15 year, but the 9mm filters actually do an amazing job of removing bite for those of you faster sippers, like me. I'm 100% behind the 9mm filter systems and I rarely buy anything but 9mm pipes anymore. They can bulldose through the Sh*tiest with ease. (Name dropping mainly Captain Black and those like it). Back to my second point; before (you) and you know who you are, keep poorly rating some of these outstanding products, may I suggest; educating yourselves about the mixture, moisture content, cellaring, aging of the various blends and most importantly, for you hipsters our there, actually smoking the blends before writing a review. I completely understand the frustration of not getting your chance to snag a few tins of the white whales, however, part of the fun of visiting this site daily, not only to check the notifications of what's coming but also the fresh pipes and reviews from the blogs and the incredibly descriptive Shane Ireland. I digress, for those of you who like English blends, this is exceptional, it's truly unlike anything else out there. I'm a huge fan, I'll be buying as much of this as I can to save and cellar. As I believe this is going to be the next white whale of the tobacco world for English blends. It's an extremely high quality product, there's very little if any chunks, sticks or "Rubbish," to sift through. It's one of those, amazing English blends right out of the tin, that is fairly rare to find these days. I give it a resounding 5 star review and recommend it to anyone who appreciates a ultra high quality English. Don't expect this one to stick around. It's up there with the best, if not the best.
Seattle Pipe Club - Hogshead 4oz
Probably tied for 3rd place in my Virginia lineup
You just have to try it to understand. It's impressive. Despite the hype, it's a solid Virginia. I wouldn't say the Seattle Pipe Club blends are worth the $34.00 a tin. But they are good.
Drucquer & Sons - Loch Ness 100g
Of the better half in the line up
If you can find it in stock, its worth snagging a few tins. Again, these are all good and reliable smokes. They're my go to, not my favorite of all time, but this is the foundation of my collection. I always have a few cans of D&S blends in the cellar.
Drucquer & Sons - Prince's Blend 200g
Not bad. Not great.. but good.
Having smoked all the blends in the Drucquer & Son's lineup form G.L. Pease. This one, Loch Ness, Trafalger and Blagowrie are the better blends. It's six half-dozen to the other depending on your own particular tastes and which family you prefer. I wouldn't say these are my go to blends, I won't give up what those are, but these are definitely among my fall back blends while I'm waiting for a restock. Don't get me wrong, these are worth having, not a waste of money by any stretch. They're the Toyota Corolla of Tobaccos. Reliable and precise.
Cornell & Diehl - Palmetto Balkan 8oz
This is a must for any collection.
Wasn't sure quite what to expect with C&D's small batch Palmetto Balkan. It's a very loud, flavorful, complex and interesting English. I think the Latakia is a bit overwhelming but half way down the bowl it mellows out the smoke. Theres a mixture of notes from leather, caramel, spice and dark chocolate. My honest opinion is that if you cellar this for 5 years, it will really age and compliment itself well. I don't think all the reviews for this are super accurate. Don't get me wrong, it's very good. But like Folklore, a lot of hype and mediocre delivery. Even though they're in different categories, I'd take a tin of Palmetto Balkan over Folklore anytime if that says anything to you.
Cornell & Diehl - Apricots and Cream 2oz
Goat toe and salt water
Tastes like a hot buttery dirty goat toe blended with salty hot dog water, packed inside a sweet potato pancake. However, that being said... It actually grows on you. Probably wouldn't buy again but definitely entertaining to see your friend's reaction to it. The facial moment of: "I'm trying to determine if this is nasty or how to explain that it's not bad but I'm not finishing this bowl either," Priceless.
Cobblestone - Chess King 1.75oz
Up there with the solid 3.0's
Very decent, not my most favorite. Probably wouldn't buy again as there are great alternatives, but I wouldn't turn it down either.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - White Elephant Tapered Pipe Cleaners (100 Pack)
Excellent
It's a pipe cleaner. It cleans your pipe. It's not cheap, it won't leave cotton particles everywhere like the cheepos.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - White Elephant Bristle Pipe Cleaners (80 Pack)
Just Great
These are just an absolutely great product and a must have for your briar.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Savinelli Magic Cloth
Meh
Not sure how it's so magical. It's average at best.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Pipemaster Clean and Cure 2oz
Not bad
Not the best I've ever used. Not bad though. I'll probably buy again if I can't find something a little better.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Paragon Wax 1oz
Redacted Review
My Original review of this was very poor. Luckily, Smoking Pipes staff actually ready these reviews and reached out to me. Apparently that residue all over my pipes was an easy fix. If you put too much on as I did, if you take a hair dryer and melt the left over wax, it does leave a nice shine. This product isn't bad, just use sparingly.
Cleaners & Cleaning Supplies - Halcyon II Wax 1oz
Redacted Review
My Original review of this was very poor. Luckily, Smoking Pipes staff actually ready these reviews and reached out to me. Apparently that residue all over my pipes was an easy fix. If you put too much on as I did, if you take a hair dryer and melt the left over wax, it does leave a nice shine. This product isn't bad, just use sparingly.
Drucquer & Sons - Inns of Court 200g
Superior English Blend
Not the best out there but above decent. The reviews are accurate.
Drucquer & Sons - Levant Mixture 200g
Average. Decent. Would buy again.
It's strong. I'm not quite sure what to say about this one. Definitely pairs well with black coffee early in the AM.
Sillem's - Linea Epoque Antique 3.5oz
Europes Better Aromatics.
It's very good. In my opinion; this is the best of their entire lineup.
Cobblestone - Indulge Vanilla Custard 1.5oz
Really Good. Loses flavor too quickly
It has a funky tin note. It's a pleasant aromatic, there are better Vanilla's out there. If your looking for the best Vanilla, check out Stokkebye's French Vanilla.
Lane Limited - 1-Q
Like Smoking Yoda's inner thigh
If you took big foot's boxer briefs he'd been wearing for 6 months straight and lent them to Yoda to run a marathon in followed by shredding them and blending them with tobacco. You would this blend nailed down to a fair comparison.
Peter Stokkebye - PS27 Pistachio
Delicious!!!
This is an excellent blend and deserves every bit if a 4/5 star review. I am a huge fan of all his blends, but this is one of my favorites. This one is absolutely delicious. Ultra high quality. Totally underrated and unappreciated.
Sutliff - TS-20 Louisiana Perique
Bold. Intense. Perfection.
If you are new to pipe smoking, I would not recommend filling your bowl with this, rather blend it 50/50 into your regular tobacco. This is for a more experienced, discerning smoker who appreciates Perique. For those who aren't familiar with this style of tobacco, it is not cured and processed the same way as traditional tobacco. Perique is a uniquely processed style. It is not completely dried when it is washed, allowing any remaining to be removed and re-moistening the tobacco. It is then stemmed by hand, compressed, heated and then fermented. Due to the amount of moisture present and the amount of time it is cured, it allows the leaf to properly age like a fine bourbon. This gives the leaf a bold peppery spice. As far of Perique's go, Sutliff, has done a phenomenal job knocking this out of the park. I enjoy this straight with 12 year bourbon on my back patio several times a week. I quite enjoy a bold blend like this from time to time, however, I change up my blends every so often as to keep myself interested in finding that unicorn that will replace my dear friend Frog Morton RIP.
Tampers & Tools - Rubber Pipe Bits (2 pack)
BUY IT
These are a must have for anyone to tends to use their teeth to hold the pipe. It serves two purposes. One for those with sensitive teeth, it makes the bit much more comfortable to hold whilst also adding a tremendous amount of grip. The second benefit is it protects the stem from tooth marks making it easier to polish, in turn keeping your pipe like new.
Filters & Adaptors - White Elephant 9mm Charcoal Filters (40 Count)
Decent
This was my go to filter for many years. The Blitz System is noticeably better for air flow. But this is a good filter overall. It does the job as far as activated charcoal filters go. One of the better on the market.
Drucquer & Sons - Trafalgar 200g
Proper English
This is an exceptionally smooth, lightly spiced Turkish blend. Upon first light, I enjoyed a rich, dry and exotic complexity that kept me engaged throughout the entire bowl. Theres a crisp, dry Virginia balanced equally into the Latakia and Perique as to not overwhelm the other flavors as many blends tend to do. The aroma has unique notes of oak, spice and barley. The finish ends with a bold flavor of Latakia. I did not experience any tongue bite over dryness of this blend. The moisture was perfectly balanced for a delightfully pecan smoke.
Filters & Adaptors - Single Blitz 9mm Filter
Apex filter
My primary go-to-brand is White Elephant. I find them to be consistent, they flow a moderate amount of air and almost eliminate tongue bite. However, the Blitz System is better. It flows even more air and it seems to have slightly more activated charcoal. The ingenious design of the Blitz System is in the end caps which have deeper cuts in the intakes which allow more air to flow through the canister virtually eliminating all tongue bite. White Elephant is still a great brand, but if you want the ultimate in activated charcoal filtration. This is the top of the food chain. Nothing really compares to the Blitz System, its in a league of its own.
Drucquer & Sons - Blairgowrie 200g
Solid.
Love that G.L. Pease Revived the brand, it was legendary for it's time. I've heard from those that frequented the old shop that this is actually better than the original recipe. I never smoked any of the original blends, only hearts about them. My opinion is; of all the D&S this is in my top three.
Cobblestone - Chess Queen 1.75oz
Meh.
Came back after cellaring these for a few years. Really disappointed. It's not a bad smoke at all, but not what I was expecting.
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